Michael Joseph — Pirelli, Spain Test print, Alfa Andora July 1992 Unique, signed darkroom print This striking and atmospheric photograph is an authentic one-off darkroom test print made by Michael Joseph in preparation for a Pirelli campaign shot in Spain. Captured whilst out location-hunting, on a winding mountain road in Andora, the image freezes a moment of controlled velocity: a sleek sports car carving through darkness, headlights cutting a clean arc of light across asphalt, rock face, and void. The composition is bold and cinematic, with the car held in sharp relief against deep blacks, while motion blur and long exposure convey speed, tension, and precision. This is not a finished advertising plate, but a working print—a test made in the darkroom as Joseph refined exposure, contrast, and balance. The print bears his handwritten annotations along the margin, noting Spain / Alfa / Andora and the Pirelli context, and is hand-signed by the photographer. These inscriptions firmly anchor the photograph within his working process rather than as a later retrospective object. The print displays visible imperfections consistent with its nature as a test and studio object: slight surface irregularities, edge wear, and tonal inconsistencies typical of darkroom handling and experimental printing. These are not flaws of neglect, but honest traces of use—evidence of a photograph in formation. As such, the piece possesses a raw immediacy that finished campaign images often lack. Mounted simply and pragmatically, the presentation reflects Joseph’s long-standing waste-not, want-not studio ethos, shaped by decades of working within tight commercial budgets. Nothing here is ornamental; everything serves the image and its purpose. This work sits squarely within the period that made Michael Joseph one of London’s most sought-after advertising photographers, spanning the 1960s through the 1990s, and represents his mastery of speed, light, and narrative tension. Details Photographer: Michael Joseph Title / annotation: Pirelli – Spain, Alfa Andora July 92 (as written) Medium: Original darkroom test print Signature: Hand-signed by the photographer Rarity: Unique working print Condition Authentic vintage condition. Visible imperfections, surface marks, and edge wear consistent with a darkroom test print and studio handling. The image remains visually powerful with strong contrast and presence. A rare opportunity to acquire not just an image, but a moment from within the creative process of one of Britain’s leading advertising photographers. International buyers / US customs: Please note that any import duties, customs charges, or local taxes levied by US Customs are the responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the purchase price.